BLANKIET 2015 PROPRIETARY RED "PARADISE HILLS" NAOA VALLEY 750mL

ANTONIO GALLONI 98 POINTS - "I was blown away by the wines I tasted with Claude and Katherine Blankiet, and their new winemaker, Graeme MacDonald. The late Denis Malbec, along with his wife, May-Britt, did so much to dial back some of the excesses of the estate's earlier wines. In just his first vintage, MacDonald has taken over a very delicate situation and put his personal stamp on the wines. One of MacDonald's first decisions was to bottle the 2015s, which were made by Malbec, about two months earlier than had been the norm previously. The shorter amount of time in barrel seems to give these wines quite a bit more fruit intensity and fewer oak influences."

"The 2015 Proprietary Red is a model of total elegance and finesse. Lifted and aromatically expressive, but also quite deep, the 2015 is another wine that is surprisingly fresh and vibrant. Aromatically expressive and nuanced, the 2015 is silky and plush on the palate, yet also remains remarkably tight on its feet. This is one of the most exquisitely beautiful, riveting wines I have tasted from Claude and Katherine Blankiet."

ROBERT PARKER'S WINE ADVOCATE 96+ POINTS - "A Bordeaux blend of mainly Cabernet Sauvignon with smaller portions of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, the 2015 Proprietary Red Paradise Hills Vineyard sports a deep garnet-purple color and is profoundly scented of crushed blackcurrants and blackberries with fragrant menthol, tilled soil, pencil shavings and Indian spice notions. Medium to full-bodied and tightly knit at this youthful stage, it has a solid frame of ripe, fine-grained tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing long and lively. It really needs another 2-3 years in bottle to really strut its stuff, then should drink beautifully for the next 20+ years."